Steven Caulker could be the new Gary Cahill, according to QPR manager Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp says Cahill has come on leaps and bounds since playing alongside John Terry and says the same can happen for Caulker partnering Rio Ferdinand.

Caulker departed Cardiff City for Loftus Road on Tuesday after agreeing an £8m move.

Redknapp said: “The prospect of playing with Rio Ferdinand in the centre of defence is something that will appeal to the lad (Caulker). He’s a young player and he can only improve playing alongside somebody as experienced as Rio.

“If you look at Gary Cahill he has improved massively playing with John Terry and I believe Rio can do the same for Caulker.”

New Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal has hit out at the club's commercial commitments on its pre-season tour in the USA.

Van Gaal has called on the club to review their future pre-season tour plans after claiming the exhausting schedule is 'not very positive for preparation'.

(Photo: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

With the Dutchman almost 30 minutes late for his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight's friendly against LA Galaxy in Pasadena due to gridlocked traffic in Los Angeles, Van Gaal insisted that next summer's plans must fit his demands after claiming the schedule in the States is affecting his efforts to work with the squad.

"More or less, yes," Van Gaal said, when asked whether the commercial demands were impinging on his training plans.

"We have to prepare the season and when you have commercial activities and dreadful distances, having to fly a lot and the jet lag, it is not very positive for a good preparation."